In an unprecedented move, the Prime Minister’s Office called out Congress leader and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for his unfounded accusations. The matter pertained to PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Rajasthan’s Sikar which is scheduled for July 27 (Thursday). The Chief Minister of Rajasthan claimed that he could only extend his welcome to the Prime Minister through Twitter as the PMO had cancelled his speech at the event.
Refuting the allegation, PMO tweeted, “In accordance with protocol, you have been duly invited and your speech was also slotted. But, your office said you will not be able to join. During PM Narendra Modi’s previous visits as well you have always been invited and you have also graced those programmes with your presence.”
The PMO reiterated the invitation and stated, “You are most welcome to join today’s programme. Your name is very much there on the plaque of the development works as well. Unless you have any physical discomfort owing to your recent injury, your presence will be deeply valued.”
The Congress stalwart had posted early on Thursday morning that the PMO has removed his address from the program. “Today you are visiting Rajasthan. Your office PMO has removed my pre-scheduled 3-minute address from the program, so I will not be able to welcome you through speech, so I heartily welcome you to Rajasthan through this tweet.”
Gehlot further added, “The inauguration and foundation laying of 12 medical colleges taking place today is the result of the partnership between the Government of Rajasthan and the Centre. The project cost of these medical colleges is Rs 3,689 crore, of which Rs 2,213 crore is the share of the Center and Rs 1,476 crore of the state government.”
He also extended congratulations to everyone on behalf of his administration and listed certain demands including the withdrawal of the Agniveer scheme, caste census and funding to three medical colleges in tribal predominant areas, among others that were part of his reportedly deleted speech.
However, according to government sources, one of the events was planned specifically for the veteran Congres leader to attend. “However he wanted to join the physical program in Sikar through videoconference, which is not as per normal process or protocol”, the sources said
PM Modi is headed to Rajasthan and Gujarat on the 27th and 28th of July. Notably, this is his seventh visit to Rajasthan in the past six months for PM Modi.
He will lay the cornerstone and dedicate multiple development projects at a public event in Sikar, including 1.25 lakh PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras (PMKSKs). He will introduce Urea Gold, a new type of urea coated with sulphur, inaugurate five new medical colleges, and deliver the 14th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) programme, among other significant initiatives.
On 26th July, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla filed a police complaint against Aam Aadmi Party’s chief national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar for labelling him as ‘Mujahideen’ during a debate on Republic TV. The incident took place on 25th July 2023, when Shehzad was part of a debate along with other party leaders, including AAP’s Kakkar, over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on the newly formed I.N.D.I.A. alliance of the opposition parties.
Criminal defamation notice has been served upon AAP Chief National Spokesperson for calling Indian Muslim community & me an extremely objectionable hate inciting words during a Live TV debate by my lawyer Shri Namit Saxena ji
In his complaint, Shehzad says that Kakkar abused him and his faith by making extremely communally loaded remarks. He said during the course of the debate, Kakkar was unable to answer the questions raised by him and restored to labelling him as Mujahideen, which is now known for terrorism. He said, “She kept using that word against me merely because I am a Muslim. In the past, too, she has made such comments on-air and off-air against my faith against Islam and against Muslims in general; such comments only reflect the poisonous and hate-filled mindset of the Aam Aadmi Party towards Muslims.”
Today the AAP chief national spokesperson was asked full form of I.N.D.I.A
She obviously did not know it! After making a laughing stock of herself she resorts to the only thing she is capable of.. Without any hesitation makes a completely communal, abusive remark
He requested Noida Police to issue a show cause notice to the AAP seeking an explanation over derogatory remarks. He also requests to file a case against Kakkar under Sections 153A, 153B, 505, 295A and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) so that such incidents of hate and communal speech do not happen in the future.
Shehzad sent a legal notice to Kakkar
Earlier, Shehzad Poonawalla shared on Twitter that he had sent a legal notice to Kakkar over the same. In the tweet, Shehzad said, “Criminal defamation notice has been served upon AAP Chief National Spokesperson for calling Indian Muslim community and me an extremely objectionable hate inciting words during a Live TV debate by my lawyer Shri Namit Saxena ji. It has caused me mental and emotional trauma & has incited hatred towards me. Earlier, I have taken up the said matter with National Minority Commission for constant hate speech by AAP.”
Police complaint against AAP Chief National Spokesperson has been filed in Noida , praying for speedy & quick action, against her hate speech directed at Indian Muslims in general & me in particular @Uppolicepic.twitter.com/hHVysAwRoU
In the notice, Shehzad’s lawyer asked AAP’s spokesperson to immediately withdraw all the allegations and aspersions made against Shehzad and tender an unconditional public apology to him via print, social and electronic media. He also asked her to immediately refrain and desist from ‘defaming, harassing, hampering the reputation of Shehzad and spreading any uncalled rumours and stop indulging in such activities. Failing to do this, a defamation case against Kakkar may be filed under sections 499 and 500 of the IPC. Kakkar was asked to reply to the notice in seven days.
Kakkar questioned if “Mujahideen” meant terrorist
Kakkar did not reply to the notice as of now. However, she did quote Shehzad’s tweet, where he shared a police complaint copy. She questioned if the words ‘Shehzad’, ‘Mujahideen’ or ‘Shehzad Mujahideen’ mean terrorist. She also questioned why he was allowed to refer to a Chief Minister as ‘Jihadi’ on national media and if it was okay to refer to a political opponent as ‘Shishu’.
1. Does “Shehzad” mean terrorist? 2. Does “Mujahideen” mean terrorist? 3. Does “Shehzad Mujahideen” mean terrorist? 4. Is the Complainant allowed to refer to a Chief Minister as “Jihadi” on national media? 5. The previous conduct of the Complainant. 6. Is it okay to refer a… https://t.co/mTpHH9w5xB
Kakkar called Shehzad ‘Mujahideen’ during a debate
On 25th July, a debate was held by Republic TV following remarks by PM Modi where he slammed the opposition bloc during BJP parliamentary meeting. PM Modi argued that merely using the word ‘India’ would not work. Going ahead, he highlighted that a foreigner founded the colonising power East India Company, the same was the case with the Indian National Congress. He stressed that just like EIC, the opposition is presenting itself in the name of India. He added that even banned terror organisations like the Indian Mujahideen and Popular Front of India have also added the country’s name.
During the debate, Kakkar was unable to say the full form of the acronym I.N.D.I.A. to which Shehzad laughed. Irked by Shehzad, Kakkar started calling him Shehzad Mujahideen repeatedly. Not only Shehzad and Arnab Goswami, editor-in-chief of Republic TV, objected to it, but AAP’s alliance partner Congress’s leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam also raised objection in a lower voice directly to Kakkar.
Kakkar called Shehzad ‘Mujahideen’ and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of not hoisting the National Flag for 52 years. She also called BJP the “Half Pant Party”. Notably, half pants used to be part of the official uniform of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) which is not a political party. Senior and prominent members of the organisation have been part of the BJP for a long time, including former Prime Minister Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, LK Advani, PM Modi, Nitin Gadkari and others. However, hundreds of BJP members and leaders, including Shehzad Poonawalla, were never part of the RSS. So far, RSS has not reacted to the remarks passed by Kakkar.
Definition of the word “Mujahideen”
According to Britannica, the word Mujahideen means a Muslim who fights on behalf of the faith or the Muslim community, aka Ummah. It was also used as a personal name during the early Islamic period. However, in recent times the word Mujahideen has been associated with terrorist organisations, especially due to its early association with the Taliban in Afghanistan, which was a coalition of guerrilla groups that opposed the Soviet forces and eventually toppled the communist government during the Afghan War that was fought between the 1978 and 1972. Islamic terrorists broadly used the words Mujahideen and Jihad to refer to any Muslim groups engaged in terrorist activities.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan laid down specific rules for Mujahideen that allow suicide attacks. According to ‘The Layha for the Mujahideen: an analysis of the code of conduct for the Taliban fighters under Islamic Law‘ by Dr Muhammad Munir, an Associate Professor in Islamabad, Pakistan, the code of conduct allows suicide attacks provided Mujahideen follow certain conditions. For example, the suicide bomber should be trained well to execute the mission. The attacks should be carried out only against high-value targets. Killing ordinary people and property damage “should be avoided as far as possible. The provincial authority must provide permission for the suicide attack.
Terrorist organisations in India that have the word ‘Mujahideen’
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, there are seven terrorist organisations banned by the government of India that have ‘Mujahideen’ in their names. These organisations are Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, Hizb-Ul-Mujahideen, Al-Umar-Mujahideen, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen, Indian Mujahideen, all its formations and front organisations, Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh.
The incident where Hindu girls in Udupi district’s Netra Jyoti college were secretly videographed by their Muslim classmates has again brought to light how a certain section of Indian media, and so-called ‘secular liberals’ use all the tactics in their arsenal to downplay, and even whitewash crimes when the perpetrators are from a ‘particular religion’.
From the day the incident gathered limelight on social media, Alt News’ Md Zubair has been busy dog-whistling against the voices who tried to raise the issue. Zubair used The News Minute’s report on the issue as his tool to label Right Wing voices like Rashmi Samant and Shefali Vaidya as liars.
TNM’s editor Dhanya Rajendran was called out by many on social media for the twisted coverage the portal did on the issue. TNM had tried to trivialize the incident where Hindu girls of an institution were secretly filmed while using the toilets, by their Muslim classmates.
The whole narrative of trivializing and dismissing the incident as a ‘prank’ sprouted from a TNM report where careful words were used by the editors to shift the blame from the perpetrators and downplay the incident as a playful joke between some squabbling girls.
In a tweet, Rajendran said that the college chairman and three accused women said it was a ‘prank’ and that the TNM simply reported their defense. She further added keeping a camera to record in a bathroom amount to bullying and harassment.
Tweet by TNM’s Editor in chief Dhanya Rjendran
Interestingly, in an incident where unsuspecting Hindu girls were secretly filmed in the college washroom by their own Muslim classmates, the entire focus of the TNM report was stressing how it was a trivial incident and how it was only gaining attention because of ‘right-wing groups’.
This was the context. The chairman of the college *SAID* the three women *SAID* it was a prank. *They said*. Their DEFENSE. How difficult is it to understand this?
The very first lines in the TNM report declare the incident as a case of ‘bullying’ and how it is being given a communal color by outsiders. In the first paragraph itself, there have been assertive sentences thrown in with confidence, like “right-wing groups have been mobilizing public opinion”, and “spreading the rumor”. The only part that does not get assertive words, and gets diluted with dismissive vocabulary is the actual crime itself.
For TNM, the act of videographing the Hindu girls was an “alleged” incident’.
TNM report of the incident
The report even goes to great lengths to insinuate that the victims themselves had dismissed the incident and that the video was deleted before them. They achieve this insinuation by repeatedly stressing how the matter only gained public attention because “outsiders” got involved and tried to give it a communal colour. They even note down how a right-wing student organization demanded police action even after the accused students were suspended, trying to further paint the perpetrators as more victimized than the victims themselves.
‘Appears to be’, ‘allegedly’ etc for the actual crime while ‘said’, maintained’ etc for dismissal of the perpetrators’ act
In the TNM report, anything related to the actual crime, of secretly filming unsuspecting Hindu girls inside the female washroom in a college, is ‘alleged’, not even substantiated. However, anything that dilutes the crime, and dismisses the intentions of the perpetrators involved is stressed with strong words, like ‘maintained’, or ‘said’. The college administration “maintains” and “says” that the act was a “prank”, but the Hindu girl “alleged” that she was being filmed.
Further in the article, it is mentioned that there is tension in the area ‘because the right-wing groups are mobilizing public opinion’, not because the fact that Hindu girls were filmed without consent while using the washroom, by three Muslim students.
The gravity of the situation is expertly diluted by the TNM’s editorial wordplay. The fact that video recording someone during their private time, without their consent is a crime, has no importance here, not for TNM because what is most important for them here is the protection of the perpetrators involved.
The Muslim girls who video-recorded their Hindu classmates are painted as playful pranksters who ‘allegedly’ filmed someone. The added worry of the TNM editors is about how the incident may cause communal tension in the area, not about how the privacy of some innocent young Hindu girls was grossly violated and endangered by their Muslim classmates.
Dhanya’s priorities were noted by many on social media.
This is understandable considering the context of filing the report seemed less around reporting the actual nature of the crime and more around airing what the defense of the perpetrators was.
Report was on ‘defense’ and response. Not the crime. The lens is clear to all ? https://t.co/8IoSICB4MM
Not just TNM, a plethora of ‘secular liberals’ are out to whitewash the crime
Apparently, because the perpetrators are Muslims and the victims are Hindus, the ‘secular’ narrative is to focus on how the crime was trivial, even childish, a mere matter of kids being mean to each other and playing pranks.
How a mean act by classmates deemed a "prank" by college authorities & police in Udupi was given a communal colour with exaggeration & malice in Karnataka. As misinformation peddlers play victim card & add more communal tone, they get backing by BJP.https://t.co/n9IXO4jAsf
TNM and Dhanya Rajendran were outraged when a girl from the Hijab protests was filmed by a hidden camera
Interestingly, while TNM and its editor seem to be very inclined to dismiss the secret filming of Hindu girls inside a college washroom as a ‘prank’, they were very outraged when a student participating in the hijab protests a year ago was allegedly filmed by a news channel without her consent.
In February 2022, Dhanya Rajendran shared another TNM report that described how a hidden camera used by a Kannada news channel has left a student distraught. The report described how the Suvarna news staff entered the girl’s house and filmed her grandmother and cousin while falsely claiming to be from an NGO. The report described in great detail how the incident left the hijab girl traumatized and shaken.
For some reason, Dhanya Rajendran and her news portal do not think the Hindu girls who got secretly video recorded inside their college toilet deserve the same respect for their privacy and dignity.
A detailed chronology of the Udupi case can be read here. A detailed article on the police FIR and the college’s response can be read here.
A Delhi Court on Wednesday, July 26, sentenced former Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Darda, his son Devender Darda, and businessman Manoj Kumar Jayaswal to four years in prison in a case involving abnormalities in the distribution of a coal block in the state of Chhattisgarh. The court stated they got the block by defrauding the government. After the court order, all three were taken into custody without delay.
In the same case, Special Judge Sanjay Bansal sentenced former coal secretary H C Gupta, along with two other ex-officials, K S Kropha and K C Samria, to three years in prison. However, they have been issued bail so they could appeal their conviction before the High Court.
The court also fined JLD Yavatmal Energy Pvt Ltd, who acquired the coal block, Rs 50 lakh. The Dardas and Jayaswal were each given a fine of Rs. 15 lakh by the court. Each of the other three convicted individuals has also been ordered to pay a fine of Rs 20,000.
Delhi's Special Court sentences 4 years imprisonment to former Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Darda. His son Devender Darda, M/S JLD Yavatmal Energy Pvt Ltd's Director Manoj Kumar Jayaswal also sentenced to four years imprisonment in a case relating to irregularities in the allocation of a… pic.twitter.com/An6uzLPVow
“The present case relates to the allocation of a coal block. The convicts had obtained the said block by committing cheating with the Government of India. The prosecution is justified in saying that the loss to the nation was huge,” the judge said.
The court found them guilty on July 13 in accordance with IPC Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating), as well as the applicable provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
In order to thwart the probe, Darda and his son allegedly met with the then-CBI director Ranjit Sinha at his home, according to the CBI, which had asked for the maximum penalty of seven years.
An SIT had been established by the Supreme Court to look into allegations that Sinha had attempted to sway the investigation into the coal scam cases. A Covid-related illness claimed the life of Sinha, an IPS officer from the 1974 batch, in 2021.
On November 20, 2014, the court rejected a CBI closure report and ordered the agency to reopen the case after finding that the former MP had “misrepresented” the truth in letters to the then coal minister, former prime minister, Manmohan Singh.
According to the court, Vijay Darda, the chairman of the Lokmat Group, took these actions to guarantee JLD Yavatmal Energy Pvt Ltd. access to the Fatehpur (East) coal block in Chhattisgarh. According to the court, private parties orchestrated a plot to cheat public employees by engaging in the offence of cheating.
The CBI in its FIR had stated that JLD Yavatmal had wrongfully hidden the previous allocation of four coal blocks to its group companies in 1999-2005, but the agency later submitted a closure report, saying no undue benefit was extended to JLD Yavatmal by the coal ministry in the allocation of coal blocks.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) criticised the government in 2012 for its improper allocation of 194 coal blocks to public sector organisations and private businesses between 2004 and 2009 for captive usage in a secretive manner. This case had shaken the Manmohan Singh administration.
The CAG said that the government ought to have used competitive bidding procedures rather than allocating priceless natural resources. It was reported that many politicians lobbied on behalf of private organisations and assisted them in obtaining these blocks. Several organisations received more mining blocks than they required and made large profits by selling the extra coal in the open market.
The CAG initially estimated a loss of Rs 10.6 lakh crore to the exchequer, but its final report tabled in Parliament put the figure at Rs 1.86 lakh crore.
On Wednesday, July 26, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma called the horrific triple murder in the Golaghat district a result of Love Jihad. CM Sarma assured that a chargesheet would be filed within 15 days, in order to expedite the trial of accused Najibur Rahman. Accused Najibur Rahman Bora had killed his 24-year-old wife Sanghamitra Ghosh along with her father Sanjeev Ghosh and mother Junu Ghosh at their residence on 24 July.
“It is a case of love jihad.” The family of the deceased was Hindu, while the accused is Muslim. He initially introduced himself on Facebook with a Hindu name. The wife learned to use drugs after the couple fled to Kolkata,” CM Sarma said.
#WATCH | Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma meets family members of triple murder case victim Golaghat. pic.twitter.com/rnsYiWOlYM
According to the Chief Minister, the accused, a 25-year-old mechanical engineer named Najibur Rahman Bora, was a drug addict who was involved in the trafficking of illegal drugs. “The woman was given injectable drugs, in the influence of which she was impregnated. The victim was tortured when she went to live at the accused Najibur’s home and later returned to her maternal home,” CM Sarma said.
Moreover, CM Sarma voiced his concern about incidents in which religious identities are concealed in order to persuade women to marry, resulting in situations in which societal acceptability becomes complicated if the victim woman decides to come back to her family. “In such a scenario, she inevitably changes her religion, sacrifices everything, and assimilates into a different life,” he explained.
The Assam chief minister who also oversees the Home Department, called it a “open-and-shut case,” and said the chargesheet would be filed within the next 15 days. Later, he tweeted to underline the Assam government’s resolve to turn the society into a zero-crime zone, stressing that “no criminal shall escape justice.”
In Assam, be it Nazibur Rahman or any other individual, we stand firm in our commitment that crime has no place in our state. Our resolve remains unwavering – no criminal shall escape justice.
On July 24, a 25-year-old Muslim man named Nazibur Rahman Bora murdered his 24-year-old wife Sanghamitra Ghosh, her father Sanjeev Ghosh, and her mother Junu Ghosh at their home.
The old couple tried to protect their daughter, but they were all stabbed to death. The accused is a mechanical engineer who graduated from the Central Institute of Technology in Kolkata and grew up in the same neighbourhood. On the evening of July 24, he surrendered to police and was arrested on various charges, including murder.
As reported earlier, a case has been registered under Sections 302 (murder) and 448 (trespassing) of the Indian Penal Code and an investigation is being conducted into the matter.
‘Love Jihad is a true and real concept’: CM Sarma
The Assam CM further stressed that Love Jihad is a real and true concept as he compared the gruesome triple murder in Golaghat with the popular movie The Kerala Story.
CM Sarma told the media today in Golaghat, “I would advise our daughters’ parents to be vigilant and cautious about our culture and traditions.” Likewise, I would caution my sisters and daughters not to take things lightly. They should think multiple times before dating a boy from a different faith community whom they met on Facebook or other social media sites. They should further proceed with caution while becoming friends with someone over social media.”
CM Sarma emphasised that since the Hindu dharma and Islam differ in culture and tradition, there are relatively few cases where such interfaith marriages prove successful.
“Previously, there were no instances of religious conversion in Assam when interfaith marriages were conducted under the Special Marriage Act; however, these days, conditions are imposed on the girls to change their religion. Such Love Jihad cases demonstrated that it is a real concept. Films like ‘The Kerala Story’ are not fabricated or baseless,” CM Sarma stated.
July 26, 2008, marked a fateful and unforgettable day in the history of Ahmedabad, marred by tragic bloodshed that shattered the city’s tranquillity. The echoes of laughter and contentment that once filled the air, as residents prepared to enjoy a peaceful evening, were abruptly replaced by harrowing screams. Within just 70 minutes, 21 serial bomb blasts shook Ahmedabad to its core, leaving the city in shock and disbelief.
Only a day before, Ahmedabad residents were discussing the devastating 7 blasts that had struck Bengaluru, never imagining that their city would become the next target, despite being 1500 kilometres away. The toll was heart-wrenching, with 56 lives lost in the blasts. 15 years have passed since that dreadful day, yet the memories remain painfully vivid, etched into the hearts and minds of the city’s inhabitants. The wounds are deep, and the people of Ahmedabad continue to grapple with the lasting impact of this horrifying event.
On the seemingly ordinary Saturday of July 26, 2008, Ahmedabad began its day like any other, with no inkling of the horrors that lay ahead. However, as the evening descended, the tranquillity was shattered by the sudden onslaught of 21 serial bomb blasts. The first explosion reverberated at approximately 6.45 pm, followed by the sounds of several devastating blasts that sent shockwaves through the city.
Ahmedabad blast site scene. Image Source: Divya Bhaskar
A horrifying sequence of events unfolded as a total of 21 blasts ripped through various locations in Ahmedabad, including Khadia, Bapunagar, Ramol, Amraiwadi, Vatva, Danilimda, Isanpur, Odhav, Kalupur, Naroda, Thakkarnagar, Sarkhej, Nikol, Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, and LG Hospital. The Islamist terrorists deliberately targeted areas with high footfall, strategically aiming for places bustling with people. The choice of these locations showcased a sinister intent to maximize casualties and instil a deep sense of fear and vulnerability in the hearts of the innocent citizens.
Blast at the hospital planned to kill the injured and the blood donors and hospital staff
The terrorists cunningly timed the bomb blasts at the Civil Trauma Centre and LG Hospital, ensuring that those seeking medical aid for their injuries from earlier bomb blasts would be caught in a deadly second explosion, leaving little chance of survival. As Ahmedabad reverberated with explosions, the air was filled with the cacophony of countless ringing phones, echoing the desperate attempts of people trying to reach their loved ones. Fathers, sons, brothers – families were torn apart, and numerous individuals struggled anxiously to establish contact with their dear ones amidst the chaos and fear that engulfed the city.
A blast took place at the Trauma Center of the Civil Hospital. Image Source: Divya bhaskar
The devastating aftermath claimed the lives of 56 innocent people, leaving over 200 others injured. Among the deceased were a compassionate doctor couple, dedicated to healing and treating patients at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. The loss of lives, including those of individuals committed to saving others, added a profound sense of sorrow to the already grief-stricken city.
Ahmedabad Police solved the case within 19 days
The Ahmedabad Police was confronted with an unprecedented situation, with phone lines incessantly ringing across every police station in the city. The gravity of the unfolding events was evident to law enforcement, as Ahmedabad faced a crisis unlike anything in its history.
Taking charge of the investigation was IPS officer Ashish Bhatia, who led a determined team, including Abhay Chudasama, the DCP of the crime branch at that time. Their relentless efforts focused on apprehending not only the terrorists responsible for the blasts but also those involved in plotting against the nation, threatening its integrity from within.
Narendra Modi and Manmohan Singh visited the blast sites. Image Source: OpIndia
During this critical period, the Chief Minister of Gujarat was Narendra Modi, who later became the Prime Minister of India, and the current Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, served as the Home Minister of Gujarat. In a remarkable display of efficiency and determination, the Ahmedabad Police managed to crack the entire case in a mere 19 days, leading to the arrest of 30 suspects involved in the blasts.
Not only the Gujarat Police but also law enforcement agencies from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Mumbai, Karnataka, Kerala, and Rajasthan joined forces in apprehending the terrorists responsible for the heinous attack. These suspects were then handed over to the Gujarat Police for further investigation and legal proceedings.
Indian Mujahideen claimed responsibility for this attack and Yasin Bhatkal was the main conspirator
The responsibility for the serial bomb blasts in Ahmedabad was claimed by the Islamist terror outfits Indian Mujahideen and Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami, who referred to the incident as revenge for the riots after the Godhra carnage. A staggering total of 99 terrorists were identified as accused in connection with the case, out of which 82 were successfully nabbed by the authorities. The Gujarat Police registered approximately 15 complaints in Surat and around 20 complaints in Ahmedabad, highlighting the extensive impact of the attacks on multiple locations. As the legal proceedings unfolded, 78 accused were brought to trial in the court, while the police remain in relentless pursuit of the remaining eight individuals involved in the heinous act.
The Ahmedabad police solved the case in 19 days. Image Source: File Photos
Ayaz Sayyed, one of the terrorists involved in the Ahmedabad serial blasts, managed to secure a reprieve from punishment by cooperating as a government witness. However, some of the other accused found themselves incarcerated in Sabarmati Jail, Ahmedabad, where they attempted a daring escape by digging a tunnel. The jail administration, however, thwarted their plan, catching them in the act. The key mastermind behind the Ahmedabad serial blasts, Yasin Bhatkal, a known Islamist terrorist, is currently incarcerated in a jail in Delhi, while Abdul Subhan alias Tauqeer is being held in a prison in Cochin.
38 terrorists sentenced to death
The exhaustive legal proceedings surrounding the Ahmedabad serial blasts spanned nearly 14 years, culminating in a landmark verdict last year from the court of Special Judge AR Patel. In this historic judgment, 38 of the total terrorists were handed the death penalty, signifying the gravity of their actions. Additionally, 11 convicts received life imprisonment, ensuring they will remain behind bars until the end of their days. The charges brought against them included Sections for murder, sedition, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
૨૦૦૮ અમદાવાદ બ્લાસ્ટ કેસમાં ઐતિહાસીક ચુકાદો ૩૮ આરોપીઓને ફાંસી અને ૧૧ને આજીવન કેદની સજા. pic.twitter.com/BeNNemvIKK
The individuals sentenced to death for orchestrating the entire terrorist incident and causing the tragic loss of 56 innocent lives include Zahid Sheikh, Imran Ibrahim, Iqbal Qasam, Shamsuddin Sheikh, Gayasuddin Ansari, Mohammad Kagzi, Mohammad Usman, Kamruddin Nagori, Amil Parwaj, Karim Sibley, Safdar Nagori, Amil Parwaj, Karim Sibley, Qaimuddin Kapadia, Mohammad Saif Sheikh, Zeeshan Ahmed, Ziaur Rahman, Mohammad Shakeel Rahman, Mohammad Akbar, Fazle Rehman, Ahmed Bawa Barelvi, Sarfuddin Saleem, Saduli Karim, Mohammad Tanvir, Amin Sheikh, and Mohammad Mobin.
Dad said he was coming home and…
Today, 15 years after the Ahmedabad blasts, OpIndia contacted the Panchal family of the victims of this incident who shared their grief. In a telephonic conversation, Swapnil, son of Paresh Karsandas (Gopi Bhai) Panchal who died in the Ahmedabad blast, said, “I was 12 years old at the time, I remember just before the blast, Mom called dad and asked him where he was. Then Dad said I am with friends, I will be home in just a few minutes. The explosions took place shortly after the phone call was over. Dad saw the news on TV and we also came to know at home that something like this had happened. My grandfather immediately called Dad and asked him to come home. But my father, who has a serviceable nature, called each of his acquaintances and gave the news of the serial blasts.”
Swapnil said, “My father was very emotional and helpful in nature. As soon as he got the news that blood was needed for the treatment of the injured people, he immediately reached the Trauma Center of the Civil Hospital. Papa had also given blood, but while coming out, seeing some injured people in an ambulance, Papa ran there too to help them. At the same time, there was a bomb blast and Dad’s whole body was pierced with sharp-edged objects. Some of the pellets caused serious injuries to his intestines, liver and he…”
While saying this, Swapnil became silent for a while and after recovering a bit, continued, “Later, we tried our best to contact him but we could not reach his phone. Our family searched for Papa all night and the next day, he was found dead in the civil hospital.”
According to Swapnil, his father was very emotional in nature and people used to call him ‘Gopi Bhai’. He believed in keeping a group of people and taking them along. Anyone who needed help would rush immediately. Because of his nature, he was very much loved by people around and in society.
Swapnil further said, “Many things with Dad are still remembered today. Playing with him, going out for a walk, everything still comes before our eyes. The bomb blast took away the support of our family. I am 26 years old today. But I still follow the things my father taught me. My father’s departure shocked not only my family but all my acquaintances. My grandfather is 85 years old today, my mother and grandfather raised us after my father passed away. People have been calling my grandfather ‘Gopi Kaka’ since that time because of Papa’s good deeds. The Ahmedabad blast incident has changed our lives.”
Even after 15 long years, the memory of that sorrowful day remains etched in Ahmedabad’s collective consciousness.
The government, the police, and the judiciary all played their roles responsibly, taking appropriate actions and decisions to ensure the guilty were brought to justice. Yet, despite their efforts, the void left by those who perished can never truly be filled. The losses endured by the affected families are beyond any compensation.
As we reflect on this heartbreaking chapter, our fervent prayer is that no such incident ever befalls India in the future. May the nation strive for a safer, more peaceful tomorrow, where every citizen can live without fear and sorrow, and where the memory of this tragedy serves as a constant reminder of the importance of unity, compassion, and vigilance in preserving the well-being of our communities.
On Wednesday, 26th July 2023, Karnataka’s Home Minister G Parameshwar said that the shameful case from a college in Udupi where videos of Hindu girl students were shot in a restroom by Muslim girl students is a ‘small incident’. He said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is politicising this issue.
G Parameshwar said, “The incident in Udupi is very minor and there is no need to give political colour. Also, when all this is happening in colleges, they are doing politics on such small issues, BJP should stop this.”
G Parameshwar also said, “It is not a ‘serious issue’. It has happened within the college premises and between friends. Why the BJP is trying to add political colour to this incident by blowing it out of proportion? All colleges are bound by the University Grant Commission (UGC) rules which mandate a committee to look into such cases. There is a college principal and a committee to investigate the incident. No complaint has been received in this regard. There is no complaint registered and how can the police act on this? BJP should first stop playing politics on this issue. Wasn’t this happening in colleges earlier? BJP should stop doing such petty politics.”
Notably, in Udupi, videos of Hindu girls were recorded in the women’s washroom of Netrajyoti College in Udupi by 3 Muslim women. The college management supposedly conducted an inquiry into the matter and concluded that the video had been deleted, closing the case. However, the case assumed massive proportions after several social media users, including Rashmi Samant and Shefali Vaidya, raised the matter and demanded an impartial inquiry into the matter. Following the public outrage, two suo moto cases have been registered at the Malpe Police Station in the Udupi district. The FIR was registered against the 3 Muslim women and the college administration also for the destruction of evidence and for not providing information to the police.
A horrific case of a crime against a woman has come to light from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh. 22-year-old Shakir reportedly drugged the minor girl, and took her to a jungle where he raped her. After that, 4 of Shakir’s accomplices including Shoaib, Gulzar and Pappu joined him where they beat up the girl, forcibly removed her clothes and then recorded her video to blackmail her further.
A video of the incident has since gone viral on social media where one could hear the girl pleading that they should at least leave her clothes but to no avail. The video was reportedly made viral by Shoaib.
Reportedly, the video is few months old and has only surfaced now. The mother of the minor filed a complaint at the local police station, and following that, 3 of the accused have been arrested including Shakir. They were booked under POCSO and other relevant sections of the IPC.
The victim’s family said that Shakir trapped the minor girl and kept exploiting her for 2 years while promising to marry her. As per the family, Shakir took her to the jungle a few months back, where he drugged her and then proceeded to rape her. Soon, his accomplices joined him there and they beat up the girl while removing her clothes and recorded her video.
Superintendent of Police (Rural) Kamlesh Thakur said that the arrests were made on the complaint of a woman, who alleged that a 22-year-old youth named Shakir sexually exploited her 17-year-old daughter on the pretext of marriage for two years.
The girl has been sent for a medical examination and further investigation in the case is underway.
On the 26th of July, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports gave exemptions to Indian men’s and women’s football teams allowing them to participate in the upcoming Asian Games in China later this year. Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur took to Twitter to announce this great news.
Confirming that both national teams will participate in the continental event, he wrote, “Our national football teams, both Men’s and Women’s, are set to participate in the upcoming Asian Games.”
Thakur highlighted that the Ministry took into consideration the splendid performances of both the national teams in recent times and decided to give exemptions. Notably, the Ministry has relaxed the existing criteria which was hindering both the squads from qualifying for the major event.
According to the earlier qualification criteria, the Ministry only allowed those teams which ranked among the top-8 in the Asian pool. Despite, both teams falling short of this criteria, the Sports Ministry decided to relax the rules and trust the winning streak of both teams.
The Sports Minister said, “Keeping in mind their latest performances in recent times, the Ministry decided to grant the relaxation. I am sure they will put their best foot forward in the Asian Games and make our country proud.”
Good news for Indian football lovers!
Our national football teams, both Men’s and Women’s, are set to participate in the upcoming Asian Games.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, has decided to relax the rules to facilitate participation of both the…
With this, the Indian football teams will be participating in the Asian Games for the first time, since 2014. Apparently, last time in 2018, the same qualification criteria had barred both national sides from participating in the major continental event.
Under the Captionship of Sunil Chettri and the Croatian coach Igor Stimac, the Men’s team lifted the Intercontinental Cup and the SAFF Cup in short succession. The Blue Tigers have been improving their overall ranking (99th) and recently entered under 100. In the home circuit, the Indian men’s side was unbeaten for 15 matches straight and the above community post by Indian Football’s youtube channel displays the score lines of those games.
Similarly, the women’s team defeated Kyrgyzstan over two legs to win their first round of Olympic qualifiers in April.
Despite their winning run, there were question marks over their participation in the Asian Games. The uncertainty gained strength when the Sports Ministry wrote a letter to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and all the National Sports Federations (NSFs). In its letter, dated July 10, the Ministry asked the sporting bodies to clear only those teams who are in the top-8 rankings among the participating Asian teams.
The letter read, “For team events, only those sports which have achieved a ranking up to eighth among participating countries of Asia in the last year should be considered for participation in Asian Games.”
This was seen as a major setback to both the men’s and women’s national football teams as they were ranked 18th and 11th respectively in the Asian pool. Following the letter and uncertainty revolving around the teams’ participation in the Asian Games, the coach of the Indian Men’s Football team, Igor Stimac requested the Prime Minister and Sports Minister to allow the Indian side to participate in the Asian Games.
A humble appeal and sincere request to Honourable Prime Minister Sri @narendramodi ji and Hon. Sports Minister @ianuragthakur, to kindly allow our football team to participate in the Asian games ?? We will fight for our nation’s pride and the flag! ?? Jai Hind!#IndianFootballpic.twitter.com/wxGMY4o5TN
But now that the Ministry has granted exemptions, both teams will like to continue their good run and lift the spirit of the game in the country to new highs.
It is important to note that the league in the Asian Games will be a U-23 tournament. As per the rules, only three players above the cut-off age (23 years) are permitted to play in a team. However, the core lineup of the Indian senior team may remain virtually unaffected. There are seven players in the main squad who were under 23 years of age.
According to insiders, it is being claimed that India may be inclined to send skipper Sunil Chhetri, goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and defender Sandesh Jhingan with the side participating in the U-23 tournament at the Asian Games, scheduled to begin in September in China’s Hangzhou.
In fact, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has compiled a roster of 50 under-23 players and shared it with the respective clubs. The purpose behind this is to create an additional group of under-23 players who could be considered for participation in the AFC under-23 Asian Cup qualifiers and the King’s Cup in Thailand.
The Football growth story
While it may be premature to say that Indian football is at its highest, it has been registering an uptick in the country. The men’s team lifting back-to-back championships – SAFF and the Intercontinental Cup, is its testimony. This reflects that many positive changes in the sporting arena have started to bear fruit for the nation.
Firstly, the franchise-based sports league, Hero Indian Super League (ISL), has provided Indian players with valuable exposure, allowing them to compete alongside renowned players from the past. While many of these veteran players may have surpassed their prime, they still have a wealth of skills and knowledge to share with the younger talents. This reflects in their recent performances where they have matched the performances of higher-seeded teams in the recently concluded tournaments.
Secondly, the addition of better coaches, particularly the Croatian coach Igor Stimac has lifted the spirit of the side coming with a killer attitude to win each game. This aspect is reflected in the fact that the super animated, skin-in-the-game-kind coach Igor had picked red cards at least a couple of games for himself getting into the ‘act’ while standing on the sideline guiding the team to victory.
Thirdly, the constant appeal by the legend of the game Sunil Chettri is slowly paying dividends and more fans are lining up to the match venues or keeping a close track of the Blue Tigers’ performance and cheering them. As stated many times by the skipper, the fans getting behind the players motivates them to breach their best – the motivation factor. This is also coupled with the increasing efforts of the Indian playing side, federation, and other staff to promote their successes and not let it die down at the sidelines. An unspoken reality is that fans tend to distance themselves from games in which teams consistently deliver dismal performances.
Fourthly, the nation is slowly getting rid of politics in sports federations trampling talent at the nascent stage or letting regionalism or other biased factors come into play while selecting or promoting sportspersons.
Last but not least, the Khelo India youth games and the government’s initiatives dedicated to sportspersons, such as the Target Olympics Podium Scheme (TOPS) by the Union Sports Ministry, or States like Odisha elevating hockey to new heights, have played a significant role in promoting a sporting culture and nurturing young sports talent. This has resulted in widespread benefits for all sports, fostering talent development from a young age.
From ethnicity, and religion to history and geography, the Kukis have long associated themselves with a variety of identities. Known to have migrated over centuries to India from the Chin State at the Myanmar border, the Chin-Kuki-Mizo (CHIKUMI) tribes largely follow Christianity. But did you know that one of the theories on their ancestry is rooted in the land of Israel?
The Kukis of Manipur drew global attention including from the Israeli media following reports of some Kuki homes that were torched in a two-way violence between Kukis and Meiteis in Manipur. The purported Israeli roots of Kukis came to light once again as they demanded help from the Jewish state. Here’s a look at the so-called link between Kukis and Israel.
Who are the present-day Kukis?
The Chin-Kuki-Mizo tribes (CHIKUMI), also known as Kukis, are situated largely in the northeast Indian states of Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura, and also in the border areas of Myanmar, and Bangladesh. They are considered a sub-family of the Tibeto-Burman language group which is also related to Mizos of Mizoram and Chins in Myanmar.
The Kukis, comprising more than 20 sub-tribes, mostly follow Christianity. Their migratory patterns divided them into two groups namely “Old Kukis” and “New Kukis”. To put it plainly, Old Kukis comprise tribes that migrated into the northeastern states of India around 1600 AD or even before.
New Kukis, on the other hand, are considered those who migrated more recently, in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is safe to say that almost all literature documenting the CHIKUMI tribes points to several waves of migration, and whether or not they are the original inhabitants of present-day northeast Indian states cannot be said with certainty. Moreover, not much is known about the tribes beyond that they have come from the Chin State at the Myanmar border.
So how are Kukis, Israelites?
As per Jewish belief, around 3000 years ago, ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom in Israel were forced into exile following an attack by Assyrians. They are believed to have disappeared ever since. The Jewish faith says that the gradual return of the Israelites to their “promised land” will mark the return of the Messiah, an expected descendent of King David.
The lost tribes are said to have assimilated into the cultures of the land they migrated to. The Kukis are considered one such tribe, better known as Bnei Menashe, meaning the Children of the biblical Manasseh, the son of the prophet Joseph.
Roughly about 10,000 Kukis from both, Mizoram and Manipur embraced Judaism from Christianity after they learned of their so-called identity in the 1950s. How the community has come to unearth its “hidden” identity is a story in itself.
It was in the 1950s that the Kukis are believed to have first learned of their Israeli identity when a religious minister named Mei Chalah from Buallawn in Mizoram dreamt that his community belonged to the Zion faith and that they should “return to the land of their forefathers”.
Historically, Kukis are known to have practiced animism and worshipped their progenitor called Manmasi or Manasia. This was until the British and American missionaries began conversion campaigns following which many tribes, particularly Kukis, converted to Christianity. The Bnei Menashe community (comprising the Kuki-Chin-Hmar-Mizo tribes) claims that during the conversion campaigns, they found a resemblance between the Testaments and their pre-Christian tribal traditions.
It is believed that the tribals converted without much effort due to the similarities they found in the biblical stories told to them by the missionaries. The British missionaries too reportedly noticed the similarities with the Bnei Menashe’s stories. For example, it is claimed that some of the ancient tribal songs of the Kukis, passed from generation to generation through oral tradition, include words from the Bible.
Bnei Menashe of Mizoram. (Source: Timeline YouTube)
One such song is “Sikpui Hla” which is sung by the Bnei Menashe for centuries celebrating the traditional Hmar (Kuki subtribe) harvest festival “Sikpuiroui”. The song narrates the exodus of Israelites from Egypt and how the Red Sea comes to their rescue. Other songs are “Litenten Zion” meaning “Lets go to Zion”, and “Tuipi Sankan la” which means “The song of crossing the Red Sea” or “Dried up of Red Sea”. How a tribe residing in the hills of northeast India, and Myanmar knows of the Israeli folklore is a mystery.
Words like ‘Selah’, ‘Aboriza’, and ‘Elo’ are words found reportedly only in the Bible. While ‘selah’ is found in the book of Psalm meaning to repeat, the word ‘aboriza’ is a Hebrew word used to praise God. The Kuki script called ‘Bulpijem’ which has 32 alphabets is said to have a Jewish connection. The Scroll is believed to have gotten lost during the reign of Chinese king Shih Hungtai, allegedly dating back to 214 BC.
Besides some similarities in language, some tribal customs have also matched that of biblical Israelites. Interestingly, the puan (a shawl worn by the Bnei Menashe) has a stark resemblance to the Tallit, the Jewish prayer shawl; the Bible commands attaching a blue thread to the corners of the shawl, a design stitched into the puan too.
A Bnei Menashe wearing a puan, a shawl that resembles the Tallit, Jewish religious shawl (Source: Timeline YouTube)
Notably, the so-called “flag of Zalengam”, a proposed “Kuki nation”, bears a star symbol considered to be the star of David.
The star of David on the purported flag of Zalengam, meaning land of Freedom, a proposed land of the Kuki tribe.
Going by the research available on the web, a whopping three million Kukis are believed to be Bnei Menashe who were exiled from Nothern Israel and they eventually took upon a journey over centuries across Central Asia, into China, and Burma, and finally settled in India. The community is known to have derived its popular name ‘Shinlung’ in India from their migration from Chhinlungsan located on the banks of the river Yalung in China.
Where is the evidence?
There is no documented proof of the link between the Kukis and the biblical tribe of Manasseh except for word of mouth, and the similarities as mentioned above. In 2003, a DNA test conducted on Kuki subtribes namely Hmar, Kom, Lenthang, Changsan, Lunkim, and Hualngo turned out negative.
But another DNA test in 2005 remotely suggests a distant link. DNA studies at the Central Forensic Institute, Calcutta suggested that “while the masculine side of the tribes bears no links to Israel, the feminine side suggests a genetic profile with Middle Eastern people.” A research scholar at the institute who was involved in the study reportedly remarked, “It is scientifically impossible to have the same genetic sequence in two populations living so far apart if they did not originate from a common stock who historically inhabited a common space.”
Another scientific finding based on medical tests suggests that a disease, Tay-Sachs and Saitika-Zenghit, a genetic bone disease, which is inherited by the Semitic Jews, is found in the CHIKIMZO tribes. The disease is normally found absent in other racial groups.
However, the 2005 test too is not quite reliable. Israeli professor Skorecki pointed out that the geneticists “did not do a complete genetic sequencing of all the DNA and therefore it is difficult to rely on the conclusions derived from a partial sequencing”. He added that “after thousands of years it is difficult to identify the traces of the common genetic origin”.
Return to the “promised land”
In the 1970s, a group of Bnei Menashe embarked on a journey to Israel where they met Rabbi Eliyahu Avichayil. Avichayil, who is known to have given the community its name, ran a non-profit organization named Amishav (meaning ‘my people return’) which worked towards finding the descendants of the lost tribes reinstating them back to Israel, and converting them as required by Jewish law. The same year, Avichayil visit the Bnei Menashe in India and played a key role in bringing them to Israel and also officiated the conversion of the community in Imphal and Aizawl.
Avichayil visited India to learn more about the Bnei Menashe and study the authenticity of their claims of being the descendants of the lost tribe of Manasseh. The Rabbi from Jerusalem opened the Amishav house in Imphal, which consisted of a synagogue, two guest rooms, a mikvah (ritual bath), a classroom, and quarters for the centre’s staff. However, his efforts to initiate the community’s aliyah, meaning immigration to Israel, did not find support from the Israeli government.
By the 1990s, several Bnei Menashe had travelled to Israel as tourists and settled there to get legal Jewish status. They were finally admitted by the state of Israel. In 1997, Michael Freund, the then deputy communications director for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, found a letter from the Bnei Menashe community and decided to visit them.
“Something pulled me there. And when I met them and saw the similarities between their customs and beliefs and the biblical Israelites, I was convinced that these are indeed descendants of the lost tribes,” he reportedly said. He worked extensively in raising funds to sponsor the community’s aliyah. In 2000, Freund’s extensive lobbying led the interior ministry of Israel to allow the return of 100 Bnei Menashe every year which was followed by conversion.
Michael Freund also founded Shavei Israel, a non-profit organization dedicated to “assisting descendants of Jews and the Lost Tribes of Israel to reclaim their roots”. By 2003, about 1,000 Bnei Menashe were settled in Israel. In the same year, the Interior Minister Avraham Poraz revoked the agreement thereby halting the aliyah of Bnei Menashe owing to political and some religious disagreements.
However, Freund’s continued efforts in 2005 led to a ruling by the then-Sephardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar that the Bnei Menashe should indeed be considered descendants of the Children of Israel. However, in order to be considered Jews today, they would still have to undergo full conversion (including circumcision for the males).
A synagogue in Manipur (Source: France 24)
The ruling encouraged Freund and his supporters to establish Jewish education and conversion services in Mizoram and Manipur, under the auspices of the prime minister’s office. Once recognized as Jews, the Bnei Menashe would be entitled to immigrate to Israel under the law of return and to receive benefits of absorption from the ministry.
In 2006, Freund’s group was ready to bring 218 converted Bnei Menashe Jews to Israel. But the same was halted after the government of India protested against the conversions. The group came, but further organized immigration came to a halt. Of the nearly 10,000 Bnei Menashe, some 5,000 are said to have moved to Israel while the remaining are still waiting in anticipation. Here’s a timeline of the recorded aliyah of Bnei Menashe.
Have the Kukis or Bnei Menashe found their “Promised Land” then?
The theory of the Kukis being Bnei Menashe has been equally contested by Jewish experts and religious leaders, and even the Indian and Israeli governments in the past. Some Israeli politicians and rabbis too do not consider the Bnei Menashe as Israelites. Israeli critics have suggested that the Bnei Menashe have been brought to live in the settlements in the West Bank and Gaza strip with political motives. The Netanyahu government’s pro-immigration policy for the Bnei Menashe has brought him to the centre of political controversies at home.
Much has been reported about the community’s struggle in the process of being authorised as “pure Jews”. From the standard of living to economic conditions, the community hasn’t always had much luck, at least not in the initial years after migrating. However, some of those who have migrated and attained citizenship are also serving in the Israeli military.
Moreover, the newly-discovered identity of the community has reignited the debate on conversion too. The Indian government in 2005/06 halted the immigration process of Bnei Menashe to Israel in objection to the conversion campaigns held by Jewish missionaries. Notably, for Bnei Menashe to be accepted as Jews in Israel, they must undergo Orthodox conversion ceremonies.
The Bnei Menashe offering prayers (Source: France 24)
The Kuki population in India is largely migrant and their settlement has been opposed from time to time by native tribes. Some experts also view their aliyah as an escape from this ongoing conflict in yet another search for their identity. This has only deepened the doubts among critics of the community.
That is not all. The contradictory claims and demands within the Kuki community in regard to their identity also raise important questions. While the remaining Bnei Menashe in Manipur and Mizoram are living in anticipation to return to Israel, those like PS Haokip, leader of the separatist Kuki National Organisation (KNO), are leading operations demanding to bring Kuki-populated areas under one administrative unit called Zalengam, the “land of freedom” even as they identify as Jews.
PS Haokip and his KNO are on a dual and contradictory quest for identity. Haokip has his army of insurgents fighting a battle in Manipur for Zalengam even as he has written to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the recognition of Bnei Menashe in northeast India. Amid the ongoing violence between the Kukis and Meiteis in Manipur, the World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council (WKZIC) wrote to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeking his urgent “personal intervention” to carve out a state of Kuki community.
PS Haokip, leader of Kuki National Organisation (Source: France 24)
A tribe in India, now a tribe in Israel; the Kuki community’s many identities mirror their quest for belongingness amid added layers of confusion. One had hoped that venturing far and wide in order to dig deeper into their history would help locate the Kukis to their rightful land but their new-found “Jewish” identity has only added one more dimension waiting to be explored.
What is certain, however, is that be it Bnei Menashe or Kukis, Mizos, Chins, Hmars, and Lushais; they have covered quite a distance in the hopes of tracing their origins and there is still a long way to go.
